July 3rd, 2010 4:40 am
I don’t know if you know this but communication is the most important element to succeed in Coaching high school soccer. The term coaching signifies the art of communication. It explains what you want of people in such a way that allows them to perform it.
Speaking of soccer coaching, almost all the coaches are the former players who decide to take on as coaches. Then also they have to face a number of issues while coaching young players. The reason why many of these issues show up is the coach’s inability to communicate. You must recognize that there are certain issues related to communication that need special attention if your job is to be made easier.
Let me explain them to you one at a time.
Emotions of the coaches take over their minds while they are watching their kids play on field. Instead of acting as analytical observers, they become more of spectators. As such they are not able to see the key points that could make all the difference in their team’s performance. Here, they miss out on the important part of having a professional conversation aimed at getting a win.
Even though the coaches are well versed with the technicalities of the game, they are not trained specifically on communication. For example; in soccer coaching, many coaches are not aware of the utility of a flip chart or a video. When the coach finds it difficult to communicate his messages clearly, it brings monotony to the game even if he has a complete knowledge of the game.
This occupies greater importance in coaching high school soccer as the players are young but also know the various facets of the game. They have been executing soccer drills for a long time at different levels. One effective method is to continuously vary the format of training in order to avoid the repetition of boring messages.
It’s a fact that sometimes the coaches completely forget that it is people who perform in the practice sessions. Only with a view to execute the training program well, coaches tend to ignore every other aspect of it. An example of ineffective communication by a coach is when he fails to use a player’s name while giving instructions which produces uncertainty.
In football coaching, there are some points that need special attention and they are as follows:
• All messages from the coach are important for players. So ensure that they are understood completely and correctly.
• Your messages should have a positive impact on the players to put their best foot forward. Challenge them to be better rather than punishing them for being poor.
• Spend equal time with all players. Studies indicate that coaches spend relatively more time with star players in team (up to seven times more!).
• Be proactive in communicating the problem the moment you see it coming.
• Add force to the player’s confidence by harmonizing criticism with praise. When it comes to coaching high school soccer, tilt the balance slightly more towards praise.
Believe me. Once you start to apply this in your training programs, the benefits will far exceed your expectations.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andre Botelho is a recognized expert in youth soccer coaching. He influences well over 35,000 youth coaches each year with his unique coaching philosophy, and makes it really easy to explode your players’ skills and make training more fun in record time. To download your free youth soccer coaching guide, visit: http://www.soccerdrillstips.com
Tags: Coaching high school soccer, coaching youth soccer, football coaching, soccer academy, soccer coaching